Hey everyone, hope you're enjoying the story so far. From this chapter onwards I will post Rys's flashes as Spyro on italics just so they're easier to read and to know when a change is taking place. Now without further ado here is chapter four. Enjoy.

Chapter four

Rys didn't sleep that night. He felt so… well he didn't know exactly how to feel. Excited? Scared? Emotionally stressed out? While this surge of emotions ran through his body one thing was certain… he had had a smile all night in bed. He wondered how his brother felt though. He was taking things a little harder than Rys was. He got up and picked up a case from within a cabinet. The case read The Legend of Spyro: A New Beginning. "A new beginning indeed" he said after putting it down. He went back to bed and closed his eyes. The smile came back to his face. He still couldn't grasp the notion that he was Spyro himself. Maybe it would've been more believable if Spyro had appeared in this reality and he had met him somehow. But to think that he was actually the purple dragon of legend? That was too unbelievable. Then a thought came to his mind like a sudden realization, "Wait if this is all true where is Cynder? Volteer, Cyril, Terrador, all of them. And then if I'm from that world and my mother isn't then-" If he was Spyro, and not exactly of Earth, where did he come from then? What happened? Another question appeared on his mind. A question he had to ask his mother. With so much information to process he didn't hear the knocks on the door. The door opened.

"Rys wake up" his mom said.

"I'm awake ma" Rys said. "I'm ready already."

She came in slowly. She chuckled as she saw her son lying on the bed looking at the ceiling, "Daydreaming are you?"

"Sort of" he said. He desperately wanted to tell his mom but he knew that she would just laugh it off and keep walking. So he just stayed quiet. She walked over to the window of his room and opened it. "Oh come on mom not in my room." She took out a cigarette from her pocket along with a lighter. She flicked the lighter and inhaled.

"Then come on get up silly" she said as smoke came out of her nostrils. Rys sighed and stood up. The real deal was more fascinating than the fantasy anyways. He looked forward for that first training. He thought about ditching class. Hell his brother had done it, why couldn't he? This was way better than school. His mom smiled and threw the cigarette out the window.

The cigarette landed in front of two feet wearing boots. The right boot stepped on the cigarette and killed its flame. The man wearing the boots looked up. He took off his round purple hat as he did. She shut the window and walked away. The man put his hat back on and saw Rys coming down the stairs through the main window. He smiled and turned around.

Rys saw a shadow of someone walking away from his front porch. He went to the window to have a look. No one was in sight. Rys shrugged it off and went to the kitchen. "Hey mom where's Sparky?"

His mom came down the stairs, "One of his friends came by to pick him up earlier."

"Oh ok" Rys said. He slowly bit part of the sandwich he held.

"Come on I'll drop you off at school" she said.

"Um okay. What about work?"

"Not today. I took it off" she said. "Hmm it feels good that you're not embarrassed by the fact that I'm taking you to school."

"Hurry before I change my mind mom."

She smiled, "Come along silly."

Rys looked at the scenery. The trees and the houses passing by seemed to go in slow motion. There was one question that lingered in his mind, "Mom" he finally said.

"Silence finally interrupted thank goodness" she said.

"You're always saying things like that he he" he said. "Um if I ask you something can you tell me the truth?"

"Sure purple lover, anything."

Rys hesitated. After a few more seconds of thought he threw it out there, "Was I adopted?"

It had been the first time she stood silent after being asked something. She always found a way to say something on any subject, except for this one. "Where did this come from?" she finally asked.

"Okay forget I asked."

She sighed and then after lighting a cigarette, "It's a long story Rys. To answer your question, yes you were adopted, you and Sparky both. But that doesn't change anything, I still love the both of you. You two are my sons."

"Sparky was adopted too?" Rys said. But he had his suspicions, being his dragonfly partner and all.

"Your father and I couldn't conceive. We were devastated." She exhaled smoke. "Then one day we went to a camping trip just the two of us and then there you guys were beneath a were both crying so hysterically. We held you both up and the minute I put you against my chest you stopped crying. It's like we exchanged roles because then I started crying. After that we wondered where you came from. We thought someone didn't want you and left you two near the swamp to die. After exhausting every resource and finding out nothing about where you came from we gave up and took you in."

Rys gulped. He feared that if he indeed was Spyro he must've been adopted in this world. His fears were right. But then again, all he knew was this world. Not a single shred of memory, except the flashes he had had, lingered at all. So this world was everything he knew. The love given to him in this world was everything he knew.

She pulled up next to a curve beside the school. Rys couldn't find the buckle of his seat belt. His mom unbuckled it. "Thanks mom" he said. "Sorry if I seem um distracted but this is just so overwhelming, all of it."

"I understand" she said. "I'm glad I got that off my chest and that you didn't say I hate you."

"How could I? Despite everything you're still my mom right?"

She couldn't help but smile at the comment, "Right. Now go on purple lover. You don't wanna be late for school. We'll keep talking tonight after dinner okay?"

"Okay" he said as he closed the door.

His mom looked at him as he walked over to the entrance. A teardrop ran down her cheeks. "I guess it's time then. Ignitus show him everything. I want him to be safe, please."

The man in the purple hat watched from across the street as Rys went in. He savored a grape lollipop in his mouth, the white stick sticking out like a cigarette.

Rys walked around the school and went in through the entrance he and Sparky had used the night before. The library seemed so different now than it had last night. There were students around and no candlelights at all. Ignitus sat in his usual chair greeting students as they entered. He walked over to him, "Ignitus" he whispered.

Ignitus looked up, wearing glasses that made his eyes look bigger. "Ah my dear friend Rys. What can I do for you?"

"I'm ready for training"

"Ready for training?"

"Yes didn't you say you were going to train me today?"

Ignitus stood up and motioned Rys with his hand to follow him. They went to their usual corner. Ignitus looked at his watch "It's almost eight. Shouldn't you be going to class?"

"But didn't you say there was a darkness coming? I need to train so I can stop it."

"Everything in due time young dragon" he said calmly. "Training isn't just kicking butt as you would put it. It also takes patience and learning through the art of listening."

"Uh huh" Rys said. "I know how to listen."

"Then your training has begun" Ignitus said excitedly. "And your very first lesson-" Rys smiled in anticipation of what his first lesson might be. He almost got up from his chair just to hear Ignitus right. "to go to your first period class."

"What?" Rys almost shouted.

"If you want to exercise your body you need to exercise your mind as well." Rys sighed and thought about this. "In other words I don't want you to become dumb."

"I know what you meant Ignitus" Rys said. "Okay I'll go."

"We'll meet after school here in the library and bring your brother with you."

"Now you're talking" Rys said as he stood up. He walked away with a smile on his face. Ignitus couldn't help but chuckle.

Rys dreaded going to his locker. He kept reminding himself of the questions he needed to ask Ignitus. There were too many. "Rice crispy himself" A.J said from the other side of the hallway. Rys turned around. "You and I have unfinished business remember? I really wanna try on your new shoes. How about after school? In the parking lot?" he laughed and walked away. Cyndie held him close to her. She winked at Rys.

"You don't wanna fail on your appointment with the master" she said. They both walked away.

There was something in her eyes. Every time her eyes touched his there was a sudden tickling sensation in his chest. It was indeed a spell no doubt about it. And then another thought entered his mind. "Could it be? Could it actually be?" He dismissed the notion. How could it possibly be Cynder herself?

"Rys" Sparky said from behind him. Rys turned around. "Hey dude."

"Sparky hey um you got here earlier."

"Yeah I took a ride with a friend."

"Yeah mom told me" he said. "Is everything okay."

"Peachy" Sparky smiled. "So training today?"

"Yeah Ignitus wants us both after school in the library."

"Oh cool I guess."

"Hey uh listen I know all of this has been hard to process."

"Yeah but hey at least we'll go through it together even if it doesn't make any sense."

"Yeah that's true. So I had an interesting conversation with mom."

"Save it for after school we need to get going for class bro." With that he quickly walked away. Rys wanted to help him understand. If he was still in denial the news about them being adopted wouldn't go so well. At least their mom would talk to them both tonight after dinner.

The bell rang for midday. The cafeteria got full in minutes. Rys once again stopped by the library. Ignitus was nowhere to be seen. "Uh where are you?" He looked around. He went to some kids sitting in a table, "Hey um do you know where the librarian is?"

"He said he had to go and eat" one of the kids said.

"Oh great" Rys said. Then he headed off toward the cafeteria by the way of the same entrance he and Sparky had used. After walking out he saw someone sitting in a beach chair beneath a tree on a distant corner. Upon closer inspection Rys noticed this to be Ignitus. He wore sunglasses which made him harder to identify. Rys sighed and walked over to him.

Ignitus sipped on a juice box with one hand and ate a piece of sandwich on the other. A shadow covered the sunshine on Ignitus's vision. Ignitus looked up. Rys stood over, gleaming with seriousness all over his face. "Yes Rys."

"You know for someone who knows there's a darkness coming you sure don't seem worried."

"I can't be worried all the time. There's time for everything young dragon, even in times of war."

"You used the word time in three different ways" Rys chuckled. He sat down on the grass beside him. "A.J wants to meet after school. He wants to pick a fight or something. He wants my shoes, I don't know why. We have our training session after school too."

Ignitus sipped another handful of juice and then put it down over a stone table beside him. "Life gives us many obstacles young dragon. And many choices to make. You could meet with him and give him your shoes admitting defeat. The shoes are just an earthly possession, easily replaced. And then you could come train or you could just ignore the situation all together and focus on more important matters. A.J could wait another day."

"A.J can wait forever for all I care" Rys said. "I'll come after school."

"I know it may seem like you're giving up on a fight. But trust me. This is a battle you may want to leave for later."

"Thanks Ignitus. Looking forward to my training" Rys said as he stood up.

"We'll meet here under the sun. After the faculty leaves we'll begin. It's more spacious than the library."

"Okay sounds awesome." Rys walked away almost running towards the library. Ignitus drank again from his juice box, this time finishing it completely. After putting it down he looked through the fence across the street. A man with a purple hat stood there. He didn't seem to notice Ignitus. His eyes were fixed on Rys. Ignitus stood up and sighed. "This is not good." He walked over to the cafeteria on the opposite side of the library.

The last bell rang. All students walked out. The school became empty in a matter of seconds. Rys and Sparky both met outside the library. "Well he said to meet over there beneath that tree" Rys said as he pointed towards the tree.

"I gotta admit this is kinda exciting" Sparky said. "Even if it is scary as hell."

"Don't worry I'm scared too" Rys said. Then from a little farther up the tree Rys saw someone coming. It didn't look like Ignitus. The figure was much younger. Behind him three more people came. "Oh no" Rys said.

"What happened?" Sparky said.

"That's A.J coming over there" Rys said. He started to breathe a little hard.

"And where's Ignitus?" Sparky said, his voice gasped a little.

"Right behind ya" Ignitus said. "Change of plans. We're going to train somewhere else. In your house specifically."

"Wait what?" Sparky said. "No our mom is over there."

"No time to waste, follow me." Ignitus pulled them both inside the library. They came out the other side. But someone stood there like it was waiting for them the entire time. Cyndie smiled.

"Boys they're over here" she said. A.J and the gang quickly appeared before her. "Looks like they have grandpa over here for protection."

"Did you think you would get away from me rice crispy?"

"Now boys we don't want any trouble. We were just on our way out" Ignitus said.

"And you could be on your way just as soon as little rice crispy here gives up them shoes."

"Back off A.J" Sparky said.

"Or what?" Three goons stood behind A.J. Cyndie stood aside. "Your choice, either I take them by force or you submit them to me."

Rys gulped. Sparky walked a little bit further to face A.J. Rys remembered what happened with Corey and his gang. How he had punched Sparky a few times. How he then breathed fire on all of them. No he wouldn't let this happen again. He wouldn't. He needed to concentrate. Get them all out of there safely somehow. But he knew there was only one way out.

A dragonfly stood over a sleeping Spyro. "Yo wake up. Hey anybody home?"

Spyro gathered all his strength to open his eyes. He yawned and after a few seconds of focusing his eyes, "Hey Sparx what's up?"

"Dude I didn't know you could throw an electricity bolt from your mouth too. You're getting weirder by the second. After you threw it you fainted."

"I fainted? I threw an electricity bolt? Yeah I remember."

"You saved me and the guardians from those apes."

Spyro looked around. All the apes were lying on the floor, electricity still permeated from their bodies.

Rys woke up. Another memory flash had invaded his mind. "Not in this lifetime" Rys said. And before anyone knew what happened. Electricity zapped A.J first and then his three goons. They all went flying across the yard. Rys stood there with his mouth open. Breathing hard, trying to regain his strength once again. He almost stumbled afterwards.

"Oh my god what the hell?" Cyndie screamed. She ran towards A.J. "You freak." A.J's body twitched as electricity still ran through his body. Cyndie got electrocuted after touching A.J. "Ow what the-" she cried. "Oh master I'm here."

"Come on we need to get out of here and fast" Ignitus said.

"That wasn't fire" Sparky said. His expression blank.

Rys stood there speechless.

"Sparky help your brother. He'll be feeling weak after that blast" Ignitus said as he walked with purpose. "Come on you two, we're going to your mother's."